If there’s one thing that is constant with social media, it’s that social channels will constantly change. From new features to updated layouts, you’ll find that as soon as you get used to a channel being a certain way- it’ll change. Yesterday, Instagram released a huge update to its platform with the introduction of Instagram Albums- a feature that allows an Instagram account to post up to 10 photos and videos in one post. Followers can then swipe through the post, viewing the grouping of photos and/or videos.
If you’re an independent school and Instagram is a channel that is part of your social strategy- then Instagram Albums can be a powerful way to continue to tell your school’s story. However, make sure that whatever photos or videos you’re sharing stays on brand and has an intention. Take a moment to revisit your Instagram strategy and update accordingly.
While the rollout of this feature won’t happen all at once, check your App Store to see if the update is there. From there, you’ll see a little icon of stacked photos when you go to post as you normally would. That’s where you get to select the photos you’d like to be featured and you can select which order the photos will be in. You can then batch edit the photos so they remain consistent and on brand. After you type in your caption and select your appropriate hashtags, hit post and voila! You now have an Instagram Album.
Since this feature is a game changer for the platform, this is a great time to sit down with your marketing team and brainstorm ideas for albums. Think through how you can tell your school’s story to potential and current students, as well as parents and alumni. A few ideas may look something like this:
So there you have it, a quick look at Instagram Albums and several ideas for getting started with this exciting new feature. As long as you create albums with intention and have a strategy behind it, you’re sure to see the engagement on this channel increase.
If you have any questions about albums or Instagram strategy for schools, we’d love to chat!
